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From the Director:

Dear IOOS Community,

Last week, many from the IOOS Community participated in the Marine Technology Society’s Global OCEANS 2021 conference which brings together ocean experts and innovators in marine technology to learn about the latest marine science research and technology innovations and discuss current environmental issues and policies for the industry. I’m pleased to announce our very own Mathew Biddle was awarded the Marine Technology Society Ocean News & Technology Young Professional Award for Advances in Development for his exceptional work of supporting the integration and management of marine life data for the US Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS). Read more about Matt’s award and nomination below.

This week, I have another guest introduction for the newsletter. Kelli Paige, Chief Executive Officer of the Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS) talks on the progress of the Smart Great Lakes Initiative. Many thanks to Kelli for her contribution. 

Thanks,
Carl

Dear IOOS Community,

When we published the idea for Smart Great Lakes in our last five-year plan, we weren’t sure whether the idea would stick. Could we get a critical mass of organizations focused on applying technology to improve how we understand, use, conserve, and manage the lakes?

In support of the vision, we’d begun building a new data platform called Seagull in the hopes that it could be a sort of data backbone for Smart Great Lakes. (And we’re proud to say that we’re about to release the public beta version of the app.)

Our region had come together around huge goals before, like in 2010 with the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, but would the focus on applying technology be enough? It’d mean spending lots of time and resources on shared challenges, crossing borders, silos, and sectors, and even converting units from imperial to metric.

I’m excited to say that, so far the idea has a life of its own. The 2019-formed Smart Great Lakes Initiative is about to publish a “Common Strategy for Smart Great Lakes” that charts a practical course for how we can achieve the Smart Great Lakes vision. It sets 10 big goals for getting there. 

Not only will this help GLOS better serve the region, but it will serve as a common language for like-minded organizations who want to combine forces for years to come. 

The final Common Strategy will be available on GLOS.org on October 5. We invite you to take a look and join us in our efforts in achieving Smart Great Lakes.

Kelli Paige

Chief Executive Officer, GLOS

From the U.S. IOOS Office:

  • Congratulations to Mathew Biddle! Mathew Biddle received the Marine Technology Society Ocean News & Technology Young Professional Award for Advances in Development for his exceptional work of supporting the integration and management of marine life data for the US Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS). The award was accepted virtually by Matt during the MTS OCEANS 2021 conference and exposition (https://www.oceansconference.org/) on Tuesday, September 21. You can read Matt’s nomination below. Well done Matt!
    • Nomination letter: Matt’s broad experience and outstanding cyberinfrastructure data management skills and abilities enable him to successfully lead and manage the extensive coordination and collaboration across multiple federal, state, tribal, and industry partners and stakeholders that is essential for responsive and productive IOOS data collection and management. He is a valued and respected data liaison among the multi-agency Marine Biodiversity Observation Network and Animal Telemetry Network teams, the 11 IOOS Regional Associations, the international Ocean Biodiversity Information System, and other cross-NOAA and external observation and data management partners. In particular, Matt has considerably advanced the development of the IOOS technical data usage and code demonstration portal - the IOOS “Notebook Gallery”- and works directly with NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information to advance and harmonize interoperable biological data exchange standards and archival practices. He supports and coordinates efforts by multiple partners to ingest oceanographic and biological observation data into desktop analysis tools and web based data management and dissemination platforms. Matt has also developed documentation, example scripts, Python notebooks and other training materials to enable data providers from the broad ocean community to format biological/biodiversity data in standard formats for ingestion into IOOS and partner data portals and cyberinfrastructures.
  • IOOS is Hiring! Cooperative Programs Specialist: The announcement for the IOOS Office’s Cooperative Programs Specialist, ZA-1101-4 position has been posted. The announcement will be open for 14 days; it is set to open on 9/21/21 and close on 10/4/21. The position will serve as our Contract Officer Representative (COR) and requires COR Level II or III certification and is open to current or past federal employees only.  The position announcement is available:
  • Funding Opportunity! FY2022 US Marine Life Observations: Coordinated Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) and Animal Telemetry Network (ATN) Activities to Ensure Resilient, Productive Ecosystems and Human Communities in the Face of Change: On behalf of the National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP), NOAA and partner agencies, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), and the Office of Naval Research request proposals that: (1) build upon the foundation established by the US Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON), the US Animal Telemetry Network (ATN), and the US IOOS Regional Associations to work across sectors and disciplines towards an integrated, sustained marine life observing capability for the U.S. ocean, coasts and Great Lakes, from estuaries to the deep ocean; (2) advance technologies for efficient and/or automated collection of species and associated habitat observations; (3) enable open access to biodiversity data and information; and (4) utilize these observations, technologies, and data to address place-based (e.g., sanctuaries, reserves, protected areas, leasing blocks, etc) management, conservation and restoration needs. For more information and to apply: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=335886. The deadline for applications is December 17, 2021.

Observation Subsystem and Sensor Technologies:

  • Surface Current Mapping: (IOOS Surface Currents Program Manager, Brian Zelenke, brian.zelenke@noaa.gov): 
    • No update.
  • Gliders (IOOS POC Kathleen Bailey, kathleen.bailey@noaa.gov; Underwater Glider User Group (UG2) POC Bill Lingsch, bill.lingsch@noaa.gov); Click here to join UG2: 
    • Hurricane Gliders: NAVOCEANO has committed an additional 10 gliders to finish out the 2021 hurricane season.  These gliders will be deployed to the IOOS mission partners as follows: 5 in Gulf of Mexico (GoM) (Texas A&M U. and U. of S. Mississippi), 2 in the Mid-Atlantic Byte (U. of Delaware), 2 South Atlantic Byte (U. of Georgia-Skidaway Institute of Oceanography (SKIO)), and 1 will be an experimental mission riding the Loop Current from GoM through the Florida Strait and picked up in South Carolina. This high risk but exciting mission will be a joint effort including Texas A&M, USM, AOML, USF, WHOI, and SKIO. NAVOCEANO will pilot all 10 gliders during these missions with monitoring and communication back to our IOOS mission partners. The season has been active and there are great examples where glider data was in or near tropical systems and impacted NOAA RTOFS ocean model and ultimately contributed to hurricane intensity forecasts in coupled atmospheric and ocean models. 
    • Navy Glider Recovery: On September 16th, Mike Bendzlowicz, Uncrewed Systems Coordinator on Admiral Piret’s (CNMOC) staff, reached out to ask for possible assistance of two glider recoveries around Hawaii that were at end of life. LCDR Keesee (NOAA) reached out to the Marine Operations Center-Pacific Islands to see if NOAA had any assets in the area.  LCDR Keesee reported that NOAA’s Oscar Elton Sette was able to successfully recover NG290 and NG466. Huge kudos to the Sette’s Commanding Officer Tony Perry and the whole NOAA Sette crew for their flexibility and persistence to help the Navy in this matter.
    • NOAA FY19 Disaster Supplemental Report Storymap: The NOAA Weather Program Office, which manages the FY18 and FY19 Disaster Supplemental awards, has developed a ‘NOAA FY19 Disaster Supplemental Report’ Storymap that features CARICOOS and MARACOOS hurricane glider efforts plus Scripps drifter projects, for improved hurricane intensity forecasts. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/c3c254ebbc594ff7bb78da834d648957 

  • UG2 Updates:

    • US UG2 2022 Glider Workshop: We are finalizing member selection for the workshop committee and are currently drafting the goals and deliverables. Our current intent is to lean toward an in-person event in early Fall 2022 on the west coast (preferably San Diego) since the last two were on the Gulf and East Coast.  

    • UG2 Glider Related Job Postings:  https://underwatergliders.org/index.php/opportunities/

Marine Life:

  • Animal Telemetry Network (ATN) (National Coordinator Bill Woodward, Bill.Woodward@noaa.gov): 

    • ATN Equipment Loaner Program Supports U.S. Navy Telemetry Activities: As part of the U.S. Navy’s Marine Species Monitoring program, HDR, Inc.  researchers based in Virginia Beach deploy satellite-monitored tags on humpback, fin, sperm, and North Atlantic right whales to obtain critical data on how threatened and endangered species utilize habitats where Navy training activities occur.  When a whale is tagged, the dive and location data collected is transmitted to the satellite-based Argos system while the animal is briefly at the surface to breathe, and is then retransmitted to earth, processed and made available to the researchers.  Unfortunately these brief surfacing events combined with gaps in satellite overhead availability allow only a portion of the total volume of data transmitted by the tag to be received by the satellites. To offset this, HDR routinely uses a portable direct receiver called a goniometer on board their research vessel thus allowing their team to not only localize on a tagged whale, but most importantly allowing the direct collection of large dive profile data gaps that would otherwise go missing. Dr. Dan Englehaupt at HDR reports: “With the regular use of the goniometer, we have significantly reduced data gaps and maximized the information collected by tags deployed on whales.”  During this past summer, while the HDR owned goniometer was being repaired, the ATN, via their equipment loaner program, was able to supply them with a goniometer at no cost, thus enabling continuity of the Navy’s research activities. The ATN equipment loaner program is supported in part by a collaborative agreement between the ATN and the CLS/Woods Hole Group.

  • Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) (IOOS PO POC Gabrielle Canonico, Gabrielle.Canonico@noaa.gov):

    • New Paper on Marine Life Observations Published in Marine Policy Journal: A new publication -  “Enhanced monitoring of life in the sea is a critical component of conservation management and sustainable economic growth” -  highlights the need for marine life observations to inform science, conservation, and the Blue Economy.  The paper, published in Marine Policy, provides ten recommendations which can be implemented now to measure and forecast biological Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs) as part of economic monitoring efforts: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2021.104699 

    • Two New Data Layers Added to the MBON Data Portal: Two new data layers have been added to the MBON Data Portal. The data layers focus on nearshore fisheries abundance and distribution and abundance of rocky reef fish, invertebrates, and algae in California. Here is a link to all the data layers loaded into the map interface. A big thank you to CeNCOOS Data Scientist Diana LaScala-Gruenewald, CCFRP Statewide Coordinator Rachel Brooks, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories Postdoctoral Research Associate Shelby Ziegler, and Axiom Data Science for working through getting these datasets up in the portal.

      • Nearshore Fishes Abundance and Distribution Data, California Collaborative Fisheries Research Program (CCFRP): Data in this collection include the species and quantity of nearshore fishes caught by volunteer anglers during drifts conducted inside and near California Marine Protected Areas between 2007 and 2020. 

      • Abundance of rocky reef fish, invertebrates, and algae from Reef Check California (RCCA): Data in this collection include the abundance and size of fish, invertebrates, and algae observed during Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA) diver surveys conducted by Reef Check California (RCCA) volunteers in nearshore, rocky reef environments along the coast of California.

    • OBIS-USA Publishes First eDNA Dataset: OBIS-USA through the work of CeNCOOS and MBARI has published their first eDNA dataset to OBIS and GBIF. They're not the first to publish this kind of data but it is a first for this network (https://www1.usgs.gov/obis-usa/ipt/resource?r=18s_monterey_bay_time_series_edna). The Publishing DNA-derived data through biodiversity data platforms guide and newly released DNA Derived Data Extension for the IPT were key to making this happen. The documentation is also available via the Ocean Best Practices Repository at https://repository.oceanbestpractices.org/handle/11329/1726. Congratulations to Diana LaScala-Gruenewald, Abby Benson and the MBARI folks for making this happen!

DMAC System Architect Micah Wengren and IOOS Data Management leads: data.ioos@noaa.gov, or the 'ioos_tech' listserve: https://groups.google.com/g/ioos_tech):

  • IOOS Data Demo Center Migrated to IOOS CodeLab: The IOOS Data Demo Center/Notebook Gallery (and GitHub notebooks_demo repository) has been migrated to the IOOS CodeLab (website and repository). The new site uses jupyter{book} to facilitate interaction (via Binder/Colab), collaboration (via GitHub), and publishing (via IPython Notebook download) of a collection of tutorials and examples on how to access and utilize the many IOOS technologies and data sources available. The previous site will redirect you to the new site, however, the archived GitHub repository will still be available if anyone would like to access those materials. Please update your bookmarks to the new site. If you have an idea for a notebook to add to the IOOS CodeLab, please add a ticket to the repository using the following link: https://github.com/ioos/ioos_code_lab/issues/new. We want to give a huge thank you to our Google Summer of Code (GSoC) student, Lohith Munakala, for his instrumental contributions to the migration. To learn more about Lohith’s GSoC project see his blog. 
  • IOOS’ first year of participation in Google Summer of Code (GSoC) has been completed successfully! GCoC pairs post-secondary students with open source programming mentors to contribute to active development of open source software packages. IOOS DMAC community mentors sponsored three student projects during the 2021 GSoC period. Each student was able to make substantial contributions to the software packages they were working with. For an overview of the three IOOS projects, see this page: https://summerofcode.withgoogle.com/organizations/5147392992608256/. IOOS’ student participants all hailed from different geographic regions of the world and are at different stages in their educational journeys.  Below is a short introduction to each student and a summary of their GSoC projects:
    • Callum Rollo: Callum is a final year PhD student in physical oceanography at the University of East Anglia, UK. Callum’s GSoC project included work on erddapy and gliderpy to improve Python access to EDDAP data, with Filipe Fernandes as a mentor.  Callum describes his GSoC project on GitHub here: https://gist.github.com/callumrollo/ee28f7e1863d30162bdb041156314543. 
    • Lohith Munakala: Lohith is a third year undergraduate from the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Kalyani, India.  Lohith’s work included development of seafloor sampling imagery classification techniques using machine learning and a migration of the IOOS Code Lab to use Jupyter{book} with Matt Biddle, Filipe Fernandes, Ben Adams, Alex Sousa, and Mahmoud Manim as mentors.  Lohith’s blog post summarizing his GSoC work can be found here: https://lohithmunakala.medium.com/seafloor-sampling-and-data-demo-center-jupyter-book-migration-gsoc21-ioos-a9930abc4c42
    • Qi Zeng: Qi is a second year math and CS student at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Qi worked to translate the ERDDAP user interface into different languages with Bob Simons, ERDDAP developer, as a mentor.  Qi’s final report summarizing his work is available here: https://q1zeng.github.io/.
    • QARTOD 2022-2026 Work Plan: We continue drafting the QARTOD 2022-2026 work plan. We’re soliciting reviews and comments, including our consideration of project QA/QC expansion to make QARTOD relevant to a broader range of communities. Your thoughts are welcomed, contact Mark to weigh in.
    • Ocean Best Practice System Update: The very successful fifth community workshop of the IOC-UNESCO Ocean Best Practices System closed on September 24th. See the listing of working sessions & tracks at https://workshop5.oceanbestpractices.org/sessions, hear more about the workshop in the next newsletter, and expect a workshop summary report soon. One example of a community taking full benefit of the OBPS is the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) Research Vessel Technical Enhancement Committee. RVTEC has participated in multiple OBPS workshops, submitted documents to the repository, wishes to further international interaction, is interested in endorsement of best practices, and is considering formation of an OBPS Task Team. Go to https://www.oceanbestpractices.org/ to see how OBPS can be of value to you.

Modeling and Analysis Subsystem (IOOS PO and IOOS Coastal and Ocean Modeling Testbed (COMT) POC – Tracy Fanara, Tracy.Fanara@noaa.gov):   

  • Community Modeling Workshop - October 19-21, 2021: The Community Modeling Workshop has been scheduled for October 19-21, 2021. The tentative Workshop themes and outcomes are listed below, subject to updates from the Steering Committee:
    • Workshop Themes:
      • Enhancing communication and coordination between NOAA and external partners
      • Understanding NOAA’s priorities for collaborative coastal and ocean model development
      • Enhancing processes and paths for transitioning Research-to-Operations- to-Research (R2O2R)
      • Enhance communication and collaboration between Federal and non-federal modeling communities. 
    • Workshop Outcomes:
      • Identify recommendations that will increase the efficiency of transitioning modeling systems from research to operations. 
      • Ensure the concerns, needs, and aspirations in building a community of practice across government and non-government entities are understood. 
      • Understand the community models NOS will develop for the UFS next generation ocean and coastal components.

Interagency and International Collaboration/News:

  • UN Decade of Ocean Science For Sustainable Development Updates:

    • Event Recording Now Available - Ocean Decade Laboratories – "An Inspiring and Engaging Ocean": The first Ocean Decade Laboratory, "An Inspiring and Engaging Ocean," looked into the key elements required to bring about a step-change in how we understand and interact with the ocean over the course of the Ocean Decade. The event provided the opportunity for a wide-ranging global discussion on how to foster game-changing collaborations to achieve the Ocean We Want. Event recordings of the July 7-8, 2021 event are available on UNESCO's YouTube channel. Click to view the entire core event, presentation highlights, and the event wrap-up. 

    • Save the Date! A Clean Ocean Predicted Laboratory - Nov 17-19, 2021: The next UN Ocean Decade Laboratory will be held November 17-19, 2021. This laboratory is focused on the Decade goal of a clean ocean. Stakeholders will collaborate to identify pollutants and their sources to the ocean by 2025, remove contaminants from the ocean by 2030 and support society’s transition to a pollutant-minimizing circular economy. Learn more here: https://www.oceandecade-conference.com/en/a-clean-ocean.html 
    • Join the Ocean Decade Kick-off in the Western Pacific! 25-26 November 2021: You are cordially invited to join the UN Ocean Decade Kickoff Conference for the Western Pacific and its Adjacent Areas! The Conference will mark the launch of the UN Ocean Decade in the Western Pacific and its adjacent areas, and represent the beginning of the region-wide efforts in a substantive development and implementation of Decade Actions. It aims to catalyze partnerships among various ocean stakeholder communities in the region, and initiate co-design of transformative ocean science solutions to the Ocean Decade Challenges in order to achieve the Ocean Decade Outcomes. Learn more here: https://www.ioc-westpac.org/decade-kickoff-conference/ 

  • Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) News:

    • Pioneer Relocation Update: The Pioneer Array, currently sited on the New England Shelf (NES), was conceived within OOI as a re-locatable, coastal array (OOI Science Plan, 2001; OOI Science Prospectus, 2007). At the Fall 2020 American Geophysical Union meeting, the National Science Foundation announced the start of a process for relocation of the Array.  After a variety of community engagement activities and two intensive Innovations Labs, it was determined that the Pioneer Array will be relocated to the southern Middle Atlantic Bight (MAB). Existing infrastructure, with some modifications, will be utilized to create a new Array to address compelling science questions at the new site. Read more here: https://oceanobservatories.org/2021/09/pioneer-relocation-update-2021-09-28/

    • New Round of Improvements for OOI Data Explorer: The OOI Data Team continues to listen to data users’ feedback to refine and improve Data Explorer. Many of those improvements are reflected in the latest release of Data Explorer, version 1.2, which is now operational. Data Explorer was originally released in September 2020, and this latest version is the second round of improvements made by Axiom Data Science, working with the OOI Data Team. Learn more here: https://oceanobservatories.org/2021/09/new-round-of-improvements-for-data-explorer/ 

  • New One-Stop Website for Marine Navigation Resources: A new website from NOAA’s Precision Marine Navigation program will improve the use and accessibility of NOAA’s marine navigation products and services. The website includes links to and short descriptions of NOAA’s various navigation resources, providing a one-stop shop that mariners can visit to get the data they need. Designed for shipping professionals and recreational boaters alike, the website will become a valuable tool to support all mariners in their navigation planning and decision-making processes. NOAA provides a variety of data products, observations, and forecasts, and this new website will act as a central hub for all marine navigation resources, directing users to the most relevant data source or tool based on their need.
  • New GNSS Stations Enhance NWLON Data: NOAA’s Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) successfully installed new Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) at two of its National Water Level Observation Network (NWLON) stations in Fort Pulaski, Georgia, and Newport, Rhode Island. In conjunction with the system installations, CO-OPS also updated its data retrieval and processing software, resulting in a more secure file transfer and new data polling methods. The new systems will work together with existing satellite receivers to enhance CO-OPS capabilities in monitoring vertical movement of water level sensors, improving reference framework connections, and understanding the movement of land at the nation’s over 200 NWLON stations. The data will be available online.
  • New Bridge Clearance Sensors at Port of Long Beach: CO-OPS field crews have installed an air gap system on the new Gerald Desmond Bridge at the Port of Long Beach, California. The new system consists of two microwave radar sensors, which will provide the maritime community with improved information on bridge clearance. Their real-time data is accurate to within one inch. The new sensors will replace equipment on the old Gerald Desmond Bridge, which is slated for demolition in early 2022. Sensor measurements will be integrated into the Los Angeles/Long Beach Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS®) to help mariners safely navigate under the bridge. PORTS is a successful public- private partnership that provides an integrated system of sensors concentrated in seaports and supplies commercial vessel operators with reliable real-time information about environmental conditions.
  • New OPUS Projects Software Available for Beta Testing: The National Geodetic Survey (NGS) has just released its Online Positioning User Service (OPUS) Projects version 5.0 software to a beta server for external testing. For the first time, OPUS Projects 5.0 lets users upload survey data, such as multi-Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) vectors, from a single-base real-time kinematic survey setup, a real-time network, or post-processing systems for evaluation, quality assessment, and inclusion in a survey network. OPUS Projects will align the data to the National Spatial Reference System. The GNSS vectors must be uploaded in a standard, exchangeable file format called GVX. Example GVX files for entry in OPUS Projects are available online. NGS is working closely with the geospatial industry to create tools for converting GNSS vector data from GNSS equipment and commercial software to GVX files.
  • NGS Begins GeMS Observations in Alaska: NGS has begun conducting Global Navigation Satellite System, deflection of the vertical, and gravity observations in Alaska in support of the Geoid Monitoring Service (GeMS). The goal of the GeMS project is to build a time-dependent geoid model. The geoid is a model of global mean sea level that is used to measure precise surface elevations. The teams are working along historical leveling lines between Palmer, Glennallen, Tok, and Valdez, Alaska. These observations will be used to assess how much geoid change has occurred in this region since the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey measured the leveling lines in the 1960s. The observations will also provide a basis for monitoring geoid change in south-central Alaska in the future.
  • CO-OPS Retrieves Gulf Stream Current Profiler: A team from CO-OPS’s Ocean System Test and Evaluation Program and East Carolina University’s Coastal Studies Institute (CSI) recovered a mooring deployed near Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. This subsurface Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler mooring was deployed near the Gulf Stream, 24 miles off the coast. Its retrieval concludes a 10-month field test, the second in a series of collaborative offshore field demonstrations of the new mooring system. The mooring system was designed and developed to meet a National Current Observation Program requirement to capture current observations in the upper 40 meters of a 300-meter-deep water column with near-surface currents reaching five knots. Over the coming weeks, CO-OPS and CSI will analyze the data to see how these current observations can support marine renewable energy applications and increase our understanding of water exchange between the deep ocean and the continental shelf.
  • Can Scientists Train Machines to Listen for Marine Ecosystem Health? What if we could detect a problem within a marine ecosystem just like a doctor can detect a heart murmur using a stethoscope? Listening to the heart and hearing the murmur tells the doctor there may be a more serious underlying condition that should be addressed before it gets worse. In an ocean world where things like climate change and overfishing have the ability to drastically alter the functionality of entire ecosystems, having a stethoscope to detect signs of major issues could really come in handy to marine resource managers. That’s where sound monitoring, artificial intelligence, and machine learning come in. Read more on this topic in the ONMS web story here: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/news/sep21/artificial-intelligence-sanctsound.html 
  • Ocean Visions Launches New Product to Advance Ocean-Based Climate Solutions:  Ocean Visions launched an exciting new platform designed to accelerate the development and testing of potential solutions to one of the most complex and existential challenges faced by our ocean – disruptions caused by excess CO2 in the air and water. Five digital road maps were unveiled that provide overviews of potential ocean-based carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies, critical obstacles they face, and first-order priorities needing attention to advance understanding of the field. The maps are the culmination of a year-long, multi-sector, international assessment.
  • Grants & Funding Opportunities:

    • RFP: NC Sea Grant: Coastal Resilience Team Competition: North Carolina Sea Grant has launched the inaugural Coastal Resilience Team Competition. The program will provide up to $20,000 for student teams to conduct two-year projects that will lead to more resilient habitats and communities on the North Carolina coastal plain. Each team will include two to four members, including at least one graduate student, who will serve as the project lead, and at least one undergraduate, who will assist. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. on October 29, 2021. For more information, access the full Request for Proposals. 

    • Matching Fund Opportunity for Ocean and Coastal Mapping and Request for Partnership Proposals: This notice establishes selection criteria and requirements for the NOAA Rear Admiral Richard T. Brennan Ocean Mapping Matching Fund program, to be known as the Brennan Matching Fund. The purpose of this notice is to encourage non-Federal entities to partner with the NOAA National Ocean Service ocean and coastal mapping programs on jointly funded ocean and coastal surveys and related activities of mutual interest. NOAA would receive and match partner funds and rely on its existing contract arrangements to conduct the surveying and mapping activities in FY 2023. Proposals must be received via email by 5 p.m. ET on October 29, 2021. Applicants must submit via email any accompanying geographic information system (GIS) files, which are due no later than November 5, 2021. Read the full Notice of Funding Opportunity here.

    • FY2022-2023 Margaret A. Davidson Fellowship Request for Proposals: NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management is pleased to announce the release of the FY 2022 - 2023 Margaret A. Davidson Graduate Fellowship request for proposals. This program offers graduate students admitted to or enrolled in a Master’s or Ph.D. program the opportunity to conduct estuarine research within a National Estuarine Research Reserve. The Davidson fellowship supports research projects that help scientists and communities understand the coastal challenges that will likely influence future policy and management strategies, and offers professional development opportunities geared to build the next generation of coastal professionals. NOAA is committed to reaching applicants from minority serving institutions, and to partnering with these universities for collaborative science initiatives and fellowship opportunities within the research reserves. NOAA will award one fellowship at each of the 29 reserves in the national system. Each two-year project will employ the tenets of collaborative research, including engaging end-users, incorporating multi-disciplinary perspectives, and ensuring outcomes are applicable to local coastal resource management needs and decision-making. The fellowship honors the legacy of Margaret A. Davidson, a true visionary and pioneer in the field of coastal resource management. Applications are due December 10th, 2021. A link to the request for proposals can be found here. Additional information about the program can be found on our website.

  • FY2022 US Marine Life Observations: Coordinated Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) and Animal Telemetry Network (ATN) Activities to Ensure Resilient, Productive Ecosystems and Human Communities in the Face of Change: On behalf of the National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP), NOAA and partner agencies, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), and the Office of Naval Research request proposals that: (1) build upon the foundation established by the US Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON), the US Animal Telemetry Network (ATN), and the US IOOS Regional Associations to work across sectors and disciplines towards an integrated, sustained marine life observing capability for the U.S. ocean, coasts and Great Lakes, from estuaries to the deep ocean; (2) advance technologies for efficient and/or automated collection of species and associated habitat observations; (3) enable open access to biodiversity data and information; and (4) utilize these observations, technologies, and data to address place-based (e.g., sanctuaries, reserves, protected areas, leasing blocks, etc) management, conservation and restoration needs. For more information and to apply: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=335886. The deadline for applications is December 17, 2021.
  • Understanding multi-stressor impacts on marine ecosystems under climate change:NOAA/NOS/National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS)/Competitive Research Program (CRP), the NOAA Climate Program Office (CPO), and the NOAA Ocean Acidification Program (OAP), in partnership with the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) and the NOAA Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), are soliciting proposals to understand the combined impacts of multiple stressors on the function and health of marine ecosystems within the context of climate change. This information will be used to improve place-based management of marine protected areas and enable the proactive protection of these critical ecosystems under future climate scenarios. Applications are due January 18, 2022.  Click here for full details and how to apply. 
  • Integrated Research on Coastal and Ocean Acidification and Harmful Algal Blooms: and the NOAA Ocean Acidification Program (OAP) are soliciting proposals for research that must address the interaction between coastal and ocean acidification and harmful algal blooms. Funding is contingent upon the availability of Fiscal Year 2022 Federal appropriations. It is anticipated that up to approximately $1,500,000 may be available in Fiscal Year 2022 for the first year for all projects combined. If funds become available for this program, 3-5 targeted projects are expected to be funded at the level of $300,00 to $500,000 per year per proposal (including ship time). Projects are expected not to exceed 3 years in duration. NCCOS/CRP will not accept any proposals submitted with an annual budget that is greater than $500,000 for any year. It is anticipated that projects funded under this announcement will have a September 1, 2022 start date.  Applications close January 19, 2022.  View the funding opportunity here. 

Delivering the Benefits:

  • New Regional Ocean Data Sharing Page: Southeast Sand Resources: The Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association (SECOORA) is the lead for a new data-sharing initiative with partners from North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. This initiative is designed to increase collaboration around and access to critical ocean data. The initiative’s first project focused on sand management since sand is a valuable resource for local beaches and it provides valuable habitat for a range of species, both on land, and underwater.  The ocean data sharing initiative page, Sand Management, provides an overview of the socio-economic and ecological value of sand resources as well as user-friendly access to existing sand data sources at the state, federal, and local scale. Read more here.
  • A new network of water level sensors to be deployed in the Southeast: Coastal communities throughout the southeast U.S. face threats from high tide flooding, storm surge, and sea-level rise. Flooding can impact daily commutes, emergency planning efforts during tropical storms and hurricanes, and strains public works infrastructure. The Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association (SECOORA) is investing in water level infrastructure for coastal communities that are facing these flood threats. A new regional water level network will provide localized flooding alerts and support longer-term sea-level rise monitoring in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Read more here. 
  • Additions to the tsunami evacuation route app improving Puget Sound capabilities: With input from the scientists at the Geological Survey of the Washington Department of Natural Resources, NANOOS recently updated the NVS Tsunami Evacuation map portal to include new tsunami inundation model results completed for all areas within the Puget Sound and parts of the Strait of Georgia. The new model results are based on a simulated magnitude 9.0 earthquake occurring along the Cascadia Subduction Zone. The purpose of the new inundation maps is to encourage hazard planning and increase community resilience throughout the region. Modeling results undertaken by the Washington Geological Survey indicate that the tsunami would first arrive in all inner coastal waterway locations as a trough, with sea level gradually receding, and would reach the west side of Whidbey Island in ~1 hour and 30 minutes, with large wave crests in excess of 5 m (16 ft) traveling north into the Strait of Georgia and south through Puget Sound. Most other locations within Puget Sound and parts of the Strait of Georgia would encounter this first tsunami wave within 2–4 hours of the earthquake, leaving little time to issue official warnings, although any felt earthquake shaking is an immediate warning.
  • New papers & reports:

Congressional:

  • No update.

Communications/Outreach/Education:

  • GCOOS collecting hurricane damage information in the Gulf: As Hurricane Ida passed through the Gulf in August, the Stones Metocean Observatory surface buoy broke free of its mooring and began drifting west. Stones is a long-term deep ocean observatory in the Gulf of Mexico created from a converted ocean mooring owned by Shell. GCOOS has suspended the data stream until it can be recovered and reinstalled. (Usually at https://stonesdata.tamucc.edu)  In the meantime, we’re gathering information about hurricane damage that has occurred to any ocean observing data network, platform or asset. We’ll use the information to help develop a wider storm damage assessment for the Gulf ocean observing community and to garner support for rebuilding and repairing these essential tools. Access the damage report form here.
  • New red tide communications plan for Florida: GCOOS and Florida Sea Grant have released a new Red tide Communications Plan for Florida, a report designed to advance red tide communications by aligning practitioner needs with end-user wants. The project was undertaken in response to priorities identified by the Florida HAB Task Force. Documents include a summary report with major findings from four project components: annotated bibliography, usability studies, focus groups, and a public survey instrument; and nine detailed reports about individual project elements. Read the report here.
  • The Future Ocean podcast: Check out the Alaska Ocean Acidification Network's new podcast! The Future Ocean podcast is for coastal Alaskans, folks in the seafood industry, and anyone interested in the future of our oceans. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or www.thefutureoceanpodcast.com. This six-part series features local marine scientists, economists, and leaders in Alaska’s clean energy transition as they introduce ocean acidification and discuss different carbon policy options, how they work, what the terms mean, and what action is currently happening regionally and nationally. 
  • Understanding Coastal Resilience Through Virtual Exploration: SECOORA is proud to announce the winner of our Education and Outreach request for proposals: Nina Sassano from the University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant. Her project, Understanding Coastal Resilience through Virtual Exploration, will develop a series of learning modules that use Virtual Reality technology to teach Georgia middle school students how the quality, biodiversity, and overall health of wetland habitats connect to coastal resiliency. The modules will be implemented at Title I schools to expose students to exciting opportunities in STEM education. Read more here. 

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